One of the most enjoyable fish to catch is freshwater is the Smallmouth Bass. (“Smallmouth Bass Fishing – ezinearticles.com”) The waters of south Louisiana are said to draw substantial numbers of smallmouth and largemouth bass that range up to eight pounds. Let us find out more about this amazing fish.
This fish is widely known as the hardest fighting fish, pound for pound, that swims in freshwater, and for good reason. (“SMALL MOUTH BASS – Fishing Is So Great”) (“SMALL MOUTH BASS – Fishing Is So Great”) If you have never had the pleasure of hooking into a three-to-five-pound Smallmouth Bass, put it on the top of your list. Hooking into a Smallmouth this size is as much fun as can be had with your clothes on. (“Dog Registry: Hooking into a Smallmouth this size is as …”) (“Dog Registry: Hooking into a Smallmouth this size is as …”)
For the purposes of this article, I am going to discuss some fishing tips that are helpful when fishing for Smallmouth Bass in the moving water of rivers and streams.
Prior to embarking on your smallmouth fishing expedition, it is better that you first understand their characteristics, smallmouth bass are customarily bronze to brownish green in color. It has dark vertical bars on the sides. Unlike the largemouth, the upper jaw of a smallmouth does not just extend beyond the rear margin of its eye. (“How To Catch Bass Easily”) (“How to Catch Bass Easily”)
The eye of the smallmouth is reddish in color. It contains 13 to 15 rays of soft dorsal fin. It is length extent from 12 to 22 inches. And it usually weighs eight ounces to seven pounds
Below are some guidelines on how to get significant catch of the smallmouth bass:
* Smallmouths are better caught in the rock edge that drops off first from about 6 to 12 feet.
* Suppose you are fishing for the smallmouth in northeast, especially in Maryland, you will discover that smallmouth does not stick much to cover their presence. This is apparent in some of the relaxed water reservoir. Smallmouth relates more to an abrupt change in depth when they seek cover.
* If you trap a smallmouth that is above four to five pounds, try to swim along with them and make your presence not noticeable.
“The second tip I have for fishing for Smallmouth bass in the flowing water of a river or stream is to always present your bait in a natural manner.” (“Bass Fishing: Smallmouth Bass – Fishing Tips”) (“Bass Fishing: Smallmouth Bass – Fishing Tips”) For example, a live worm should look like a live worm, not like a “worm ball”. (“Best Bait for Trout – Spottsuzuki.com”) (“Best Bait for Trout – Spottsuzuki.com”)
And what does a live worm look like? It looks like a worm, outstretched, the way God intended. And what is the best way to present a live worm outstretched, the way God intended? Using a set of gang hooks. Gang hooks allow you to present live worms outstretched and naturally, which increase the number of bites and hook-ups that you receive, it is as simple as that. (“Bass Fishing: Smallmouth Bass – Fishing Tips”) (“Bass Fishing: Smallmouth Bass – Fishing Tips”)
The following list shows some of the best water flies you can use to catch a smallmouth bass:
A) The Stonefly Bugger – size six
B) The Bead Head Wooly Bugger– size six
C) The Sneaky Pete – Size 4
D) The Clouser Minnow – size six
Smallmouths tend to be more active in chilly water, which makes early spring the perfect time for fishing. The way to set up your rig is this: begin by grabbing the end of your line and attaching a small barrel swivel (size 10 or 12). Now attach a pre-tied set of gang hooks to the opposite end of the barrel swivel. (“jts1web – Home”) (“jts1web – Home”)
The goal is to have your offering bounce off the bottom, as it flows naturally with the current, so add a couple of split shot sinkers to your line above your barrel swivel for weight.
The number of split shots will vary with the current flow, so this is a judgment call. Experimentation is the key to getting the proper amount of weight. Once the proper number of split shots is achieved, your offering will “bounce” along the bottom as it flows downstream.
Telling the difference between bottom and a bite is easy with a little practice. The last thing you need to do is add a live worm to your set of gang hooks (if you happen to be using night crawlers, simply pinch them in).
If you use the rig explained above, you will begin catching more Smallmouth Bass. These fishing tips are not at all complicated, in fact they are simple, but that does not make them any less effective.
I have been fishing for Smallmouth Bass using both tips for many years with almost amazing success.
Never forget what Steven Wright said of us anglers, “There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore looking like an idiot.”
I could not agree more, and these simple tips will help you avoid the ‘looking like an idiot’ part of that quote.
Best Wishes, Coy
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